Ingredients for a dream kitchen

Angled countertop edges help soften the geometric shape on this island by KraftMaid Cabinetry. (KraftMaid)

Forget your multimedia rooms or foo-foo bedrooms; the kitchen is still the heart of the home. It's where we cook, eat, gather as a family and entertain guests.

"The kitchen is the hub of the home; it's a lot of things," said interior designer Helen Velas, president of Eleni Interiors in Naperville, Ill.

"We want a comfortable kitchen," she said. "We try to make them cozy and warm, but they still have to be functional and low-maintenance."

There are a few basic ingredients you'll need for planning a dream kitchen.

For starters, the National Kitchen & Bath Association has developed a list of kitchen planning guidelines (nkba.org that will help you define the scope of your project, finalize a budget, select a professional to work with you, narrow product choices and plan for the installation.

Alan Zielinski, past president of the association and a certified kitchen designer, said that part of a designer's job is to educate the homeowner.

"We teach (homeowners) and help them get the best project for their budget. We try to help them edit the choices in a very complex marketplace. When we begin, we have a list that's eight pages long. Are they right-handed? Left-handed? How tall are you? What's your family's shopping cycle? Then we ask what the budget is."

Efficient layout. The work triangle concept — stove to fridge to sink — is changing. Now there can be more than one work triangle in a kitchen, a reflection of the room being the heart of the home and the popularity of open floor plans. There's often more than one cook in a household, so flow is important too.

Make your kitchen efficient with appliances and the sink only four to five steps apart, says HGTV designer Hilary Farr.

"The triangle is what everyone is after but isn't always doable, so try not to be stuck on that," she said. "Accept the limitations of your space and plan accordingly. If there is no room for one huge fridge, perhaps do two smaller ones or go for French-door styles to give more flexibility rather than one big door to open up.

"Don't forget that you need a minimum of 39 inches between counters. Imagine yourself opening that dishwasher door and loading or unloading it without bumping into the counters behind you."

And when planning the room, move around the space to make sure the layout is optimal and that circulation — for the cook, family members or party guests — is unimpeded.

Lighting. Lighting has many functions in any kitchen, but it can perform double or triple duty in a dream kitchen. Task lighting can illuminate the prep and cleanup areas, light up a table where children do their homework and add to a kitchen's entertainment value.

"You want a nice ambience for when friends are over or when you're working in the kitchen," said Elissa Morgante, co-principal of Morgante Wilson Architects in Evanston, Ill. "It's nice to have a set of (canned lights) to really light things up when you're working. We try to put decorative lighting over the island. It's decoration that makes the room have a more interesting architecture and design vibe, and it can really change a room."

Cabinets. Quality cabinets can be pricey, but they are an important investment for many homeowners. Consumer Reports recently surveyed readers who had kitchens remodeled. Those who hired contractors paid, on average, more than $9,000 for cabinets; about one-fourth of the readers paid more than $15,000.

"Cabinets are the bones of a good kitchen," said Sarah Reep, director of designer relations and education for KraftMaid cabinetry company. "When you are buying a kitchen, the flow and shape of it are determined by the shape of the cabinetry.

"It's a product that has a lot of engineering and design in the front end of development, which means savings for consumers," Reep said. "And a lot of cabinets are standard size, so you don't need to make adjustments."

Velas said that the crispy white finish of the 1980s and '90s is coming back. A combination of finishes is also stylish.

By experimenting with different heights and depths, even factory cabinets can be made to look custom.

"We're seeing them made to look like furniture, with feet, footrests off the floor," Velas said. "I like to see a couple of kinds of finishes, maybe dark up higher and light on the island. It makes it feel more custom, not like it's (from) a production line."

Finishes. Our love affair with stainless steel hasn't cooled yet, but there may be some slight changes afoot.

Richard Gresens, senior director of North American design for Whirlpool, pointed out that subtle tints on stainless appliances are making inroads.

"Maybe a brown tint or blue tint or a black stainless — a tinted stainless," he said. "It gives you that flavor of stainless, with the brushing coming through with an element of color."

Granite remains a popular natural material for countertops, but engineered hard surfaces such as porcelain, quartzite and cement have improved and are worth considering.